The Winter Ball

[central_librarymods]

The Winter Ball

As the Library prepares for the turning of the seasons, another of its rooms opens to the patrons. It is different than the others with a wide, sweeping marble floor inlaid with patterns of holly and snowflakes that is uncluttered by books and shelves. Music drifts through the hall, hinting that the patrons should dance. Do not worry about the gently falling snow; none will slip upon the marble unless they wish to do so.

Tables are scattered well away from the dance floor to allow patrons to gather and talk in small, intimate groups. Along one wall is a table stacked high with holiday foods from dozens of different realities. Evergreens decorated with globes of colored lights and frost remind the patrons that not everything fades with winter's cold. Presents can be found beneath the decorated boughs. Everywhere is a reminder of holidays from worlds near and far, some grounded in reality and some that patrons thought only existed in imagination.

The Library welcomes each patron and wishes each to enjoy an evening of music and festivities. Happy Winter Holidays to all who have answered the Head Librarian's invitation!

Prompts

The Dance Floor

1. Filling Your Dance Card. Each patron will find a dance card in his or her possession. Each being is encouraged to fill the card by dancing with five different people. Those who do will find a surprise waiting for them beneath one of the evergreen. (See note below)

2. Dancing on Air. Sometimes it feels like a song will sweep you off your feet. During this musical number, that can be literally true. While in the midst of a dance, patrons might notice that they're feeling lighter than usual and their feet barely touch the floor. That's because they've started to float above the dance floor. It may be unsettling at first but once the song ends the patrons be earthbound again.

3. The SnowBALL. Someone forgot that this is a formal dance, not a playground. When a patron steps on a certain pattern of snowflakes on the floor, snowballs will begin to fly. Patrons shouldn't worry too much if they in the middle of the action. These are magic snowballs and will not ruin gowns and suits. They can even be lobbed at other patrons if someone is feeling mischievous.

Mingling

4. Eat, Drink, and be Merry! The food at the buffet looks tempting and this time there are not magical side effects (except what might happen in the reality that the food is from). Enjoy a few treats from another world. Enjoy a drink or two... just remember that someone most likely has spiked the punch and that could have exciting or disastrous results!

5. Don't be a Wallflower. People who stay too long in one spot will find small winter flowers and leaves growing around their feet. These are harmless, but encouraging patrons to mingle and move and socialize with each other; especially dance.

Winter is the Darkest Time of the Year

6. In the Dark of the Night. If a patron wanders too far away from the main group, he or she will notice that the candles don't seem as bright and the fairy lights seem to fade. The Library is dark, darker than normal. Nothing more illuminating than a candle, except where Patrons gather. Those who wander away might find themselves lost and need someone to rescue them from the shadows that linger beyond the ball.

7. Tick Tock. In one corner of the ballroom, patrons might notice an item that looks strangely out of place. The old grandfather clock is decorated with scenes of different winter holidays that seem to draw the eye... and the unwary patron. Get too close and the clock case will spring open and a boggart will appear. Those familiar with a certain wizarding world might know the right spell that will banish the spirit and find themselves able to cast it with ease. Those who don't may find themselves confronting their greatest fears.

8. The Mirror of Dreams... and Nightmares. Like the Mirror of Erised, the mirror will show a patron the most desperate desire of a person's heart. At first this may seem innocent but some will be unable to look away and later... The forces that inhabit the Library may take an interest in what patrons see and these visions might come back to haunt them later.

((Note: The dance card prompt will allow players to earn extra points for the event. If a patron tags with prompt 1 and has five patrons tag their entry and the player returns those tags, they will earn extra points. The Cat will be available for dances if someone adds an ooc not to their prompt. Special thanks to wanna_bash_heads mun for assisting the mod team with the prompts. This will also be included in the test drive to encourage new players into the Library.)

Comments

[cannonwithagun]

Sara walked into the new room in the library, brushing off the skirt of the dress she was wearing. She'd skipped out through one of the open portals, and found something similar to a dress she had at home. She at least knew she would be comfortable in it. Glancing around, she didn't see many people in the room just yet, so she kept to the walls, hoping few people would notice her, since she didn't know many people. For now, she would just be content to watch as people mingled.

Sebastian | Slightly Tipsy Wallflower

[dulcet_cellist]

Sebastian had learned several times already that standing still was dangerous. Alec had gone off to find Jace or Magnus, he couldn't remember which. He'd had two more glasses of punch and a plate of food and met a nice man named Thomas. And now he was happily warning a nice lady in a pretty purple dress about plants.

What was it with this place and magical plants?

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know if you stand still too long flowers will grow around your feet. And I don't mean that as in you're dress is like a pretty purple flower so flowers will grow at your feet."

He pointed down and smiled a little when he noticed plants had already started to grow.

"Although, your dress really is pretty and I don't mean that as a pick up line."

[cannonwithagun]

Sara had been trying to hide, but apparently it wasn't working as well as she thought. When the man had wandered over and started babbling at her, she was about to file it under 'drunken encounter' and walk away, but then he pointed downward. Apparently, what he was saying was true... stay in one place too long, and you get caught in plants.

"Ah. Thank you." She said, taking a second to reach down and pull the plants off her feet before taking a few steps away from that spot. "For both the compliment and the help."

[dulcet_cellist]

"I've been caught several times. I think they're subtly trying to tell us we're wall flowers. It's kind of cute." Sebastian laughed a little. He felt really relaxed now when normally he'd be too shy to make puns about flowers. Was it a pun or a joke? he wasn't sure anymore.

"I'm Sebastian." He held out his hand. "Sebastian Carter Hokori-Anderson. But you may call me Sebastian."

[cannonwithagun]

Sara chuckled at the pun a bit. He was right though, considering this library seemed to have its own sense of humor for the moment.

"Sara." she said, taking his hand for a handshake with a smile. "Sara Sidle."

[dulcet_cellist]

"I'd ask if you're new here, but I'm not always this outgoing so I don't recognize most of the people here tonight." Sebastian smiled a little shyly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sara Sidle."

[cannonwithagun]

"Just Sara, please." She said. "Makes me feel like I'm back at work." And she was sure that was going to get worse when her promotion went through.

"And yes, I'm new here. Showed up a few days ago when I thought I was going in my local library... and showed up here."

[dulcet_cellist]

"Welcome to the Library." The smile he gave her was a bit brighter and less shy. It was always more comfortable to call someone by their first name if they allowed it. Last nights were always so formal and reminded him of his fathers work. "May I ask what type of work you do back home?"

[cannonwithagun]

"I work for the LVPD. I'm the head of the crime lab." Sure, she'd just received the promotion, but she was damn proud of it, and would at least mention it to people for now. Who knew if it was going to be a good thing or bad thing when she got home.

"How about you?"

[dulcet_cellist]

"You solve crimes." Sebastian smiled. He had always enjoyed science and biology classes and Sherlock Holmes had been one of his favorite series to read. Not that Sherlock Holmes was anything like the head of a crime lab. So much responsibility. He was impressed. "I'm a-I was a student. Juilliard in New York."

[cannonwithagun]

"That I do." She couldn't lie at this point, really. And, she was proud of that fact.

"Julliard? That's one of the arts schools, isn't it?"

1--Dancing

[wanna_bash_heads]

Sorry, not enough people to really just hide against the wall like that. Especially once someone actually explained the dance card to Casey. He...knows the very bare basics of touch-dancing, but can learn quickly. Teach him, and he actually can be a good partner.

"Definitely a bit different seeing someone in person than over a video huh?" The voice is familiar, and the face...sort of is. It's missing a bandanna though, from their video-chat. Older teen male, lanky-athletic frame, at least Casey had found something appropriate to wear. The smile on his face is playful too. "Sara, right?"

[OOC: Please ignore the belt-buckle in the image picture. Otherwise it's a good example of what Casey's wearing. No bandanna, which means there are two fine-fine scars semi-visible. One on his right eyebrow at the edge, and one up near the middle of his forehead disappearing under hair.]

[cannonwithagun]

Sara had been staring at her dance card when she heard someone talking to her. Trying to force her to dance with people, huh? She sighed before moving to stick the dance card into the top of her dress, hiding it there for now.

"Yes. You're Casey then?" She said, with nod and a small smile. "It's nice to meet you outside of a video screen."

[wanna_bash_heads]

Slouched, hands in his pockets and posture casual. "The one and only Casey Jones. Nice to meetcha. Again. Sorta." A wider grin, and a hint of missing teeth. If she asked or heard, she might guess it's from playing Hockey, given he's a bit obsessed. "How're you settling in?"

Then his eyes shifted, and he chuckled slightly, offering a hand in offer to dance. "Think this place is taking the term 'wallflower' for real." As there are small flowers starting to sprout around her feet.

[cannonwithagun]

"Doing as well as I can, I guess. For being stuck in a library." She shrugged. "There are much worse places to stay, although I just want to go to my house." At his comment, she sighed, this place was incredibly strange for a library. She reached down and pulled some of the flowers from her shoes before taking his hand.

"Are you really willing to be seen dancing with someone old enough to be your mother?"

[wanna_bash_heads]

There were worse things to worry about, in Casey's mind. "Not as if I can really be picky in this place." A blink, and then a hand-scrubbed on his face. "Ok, that came out wrong." A huffed sigh, and grumping at himself. "You do not look old enough to be my mother, whether you are or not, and frankly I don't really care."

Foot in his mouth. Something he did a lot. Trying to learn to be better about it, really.

[cannonwithagun]

An eyebrow rose for a moment. Teenagers. She shook her head.

"It's fine. And thanks for the disguised compliment there." She did a horrible curtsy in his general direction with a laugh. "Lead on good sir."

[wanna_bash_heads]

Ok, that made him grin again and he actually offered a decent bow back, before taking her hand carefully once more. "Wasn't disguised. I'm not really one for subtlety at the best of times." Nope, barreling on a head was usually his style. Even if he was learning a bit, and could be surprisingly sneaky when he wanted to be. Maybe not ninja-stealthy, but he did regularly run and patrol and fight with the turtles. SOME stuff had to be rubbing off.

"So has anyone actually explained this place to you yet?"

[cannonwithagun]

She let him lead her onto the dance floor after a chuckle about his comment. When he asked about the library though, she paused to think. At least the music was decent for dancing.

"I talked to the cat librarian, but I'm still confused. I mean, a library asking for people to come help find people who disappeared?"

[wanna_bash_heads]

Casey had at least learned, somehow, the basics of how to dance. In his own elements though, he was pretty agile while hitting hard. The vines and flowers left them behind as they moved thankfully. "It's more than just a Library, from what I understand. It's not people disappearing though. I mean, it could be that." Trying to remember what he was told and had learned here so far.

"You familiar with the concept of alternate dimensions?"

[cannonwithagun]

She noticed she was about his height in her flats, and she was kind of glad she didn't pick any heels to go with this dress. She didn't like them that much anyway.

"Alternate dimensions? Only in stories, really."

[wanna_bash_heads]

"Better start believing those stories." Casey replied, noticing also the height. Kind of glad himself she hadn't donned heels although it's not that big of a deal normally.

"This place sort of seems to be a repository of alternate dimensions, at least as far as I understood."

[cannonwithagun]

"Interesting." She said. "At least it seems I can brush up on those stories here, at least." There were plenty of books she could hide in.

"Tell me what you know, at least? I like having all the facts."

[wanna_bash_heads]

"Mostly...that was it. We're here to help keep this place safe. Clara told me a lot, when we were running from a mob in the renn-faire marketplace." Sorry, he's still new-ish himself. "We help bring things that have escaped from the books back to where they're supposed to be, and we keep this Darkness-gunk from invading the Library, and try to prevent it from spreading."

A shrug, and then he moved her in a slight spin with the rhythm. Proper teaching, and he could actually be skilled at this. "That's really about what I know. You'd have to talk to the Librarians for more."